Rezoning along Innisfil Beach Road in Alcona on hold for now

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Looking west along Innisfil Beach Road - with the park to the right, and homes under Interim Control Bylaw to the left. Miriam King/Bradford Today

Provincial regulation passed in April automatically extended interim-control bylaw, which was set to expire on May 8

By Miriam King

Special to Ontario Construction News

The Town of Innisfil’s controversial interim-control bylaw was extended by the province in April – automatically freezing development and building applications along the easternmost stretch of Innisfil Beach Road between 25 Sideroad and Lake Simcoe.

The bylaw was originally put in place by the town in January 2018, re-designating properties on the south side of Innisfil Beach Road, and a portion of Lakelands Boulevard, from residential to commercial. The bylaw was designed to prevent development until mixed-use zoning regulations were approved for the properties.

Interim-control bylaws generally lapse after a year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a provincial regulation extended the interim-control bylaw past its May 8 end date. It will now last 52 days after the provincial emergency order is lifted.

The mixed-use zoning requires at least 50 per cent of ground-floor uses to be non-residential: commercial or institutional. Permitted uses on the south side of Innisfil Beach Road include bake shops, banquet halls, convenience stores, medical offices, fitness centres, retail stores and veterinary clinics.

Staff are working on draft zoning provisions, and considering the following changes:

  • a maximum of four storeys near 25 Sideroad and gradually lowered to a maximum of two storeys near Lake Simcoe
  • Enhanced setbacks to existing residential zones
  • Provisions to support a traditional main street building form on Innisfil Beach Road

Imposing restrictions on some uses (e.g. managing noise impacts)The mixed-use zoning also requires a 15-metre setback from the shoreline and specifies that at least 75 per cent of the shoreline and waterfront yard should be naturalized, which is even more stringent than the requirements spelled out in the town’s shoreline planning document.

Town officials say no expropriations are planned and residential additions are permitted in the area at up to 50 per cent of the existing building footprint.

However, no redevelopment or building permits for new homes will be allowed in any of the areas under the interim-control bylaw.

The proposed draft bylaw can be viewed on the town website and there is currently no date for a required public meeting.

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